Description

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

This is an exciting time in Washington as Ecology implements brand new legislation addressing climate change. Everyone deserves clean air to breathe and a sustainable future that addresses the challenges of climate change. The Air Quality Program works to monitor air quality and reduce air pollution to protect the health of every Washingtonian. We also work to protect Washington’s future by tracking our state’s efforts to cut the carbon pollution that drives climate change and implement carbon reduction programs.

The Air Quality Program (AQP) is looking to fill the Climate Commitment Act Implementation Manager (WMS Band 3) position. This position is located in our Headquarters Building in Lacey, WA.

As the Climate Commitment Act Implementation Manager, you will plan, lead, organize, and control the implementation of the complex greenhouse gas cap and invest program authorized in the 2021 Climate Commitment Act including:

• Provide management and leadership in initiating Washington’s cap and invest program specified in the Climate Commitment Act.
• Hire and supervise managers and staff responsible for carrying out work specified in the Climate Commitment Act.
• Guide staff on policy issues.
• Communicate with the Governor’s office, members of the Washington State Legislature, Tribes, overburdened communities, businesses and stakeholders about implementation of the Climate Commitment Act.

The mission of the Air Quality Program (AQP) is to protect, preserve, and enhance the air quality of Washington to safeguard public health and the environment and support high quality of life for current and future generations. The Air Quality Program’s vision is clean, healthy air for all of Washington. Our goal is to identify, prevent, and minimize air pollution.

Protecting Washington State’s environment for current and future generations is what we do every day at Ecology. We are a culture that is invested in making a difference. Join a team that is highly effective, collaborative, with leadership who embrace the value of people.

Ecology cares deeply about employee wellness; we go beyond traditional benefits, proudly offering:

• A commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect and leadership who encourage all employees to bring their authentic selves to work.
• A healthy life/work balance by offering flexible schedules and telework options for most positions.
• An Infants at Work Program that is based on the long-term health values of infant-parent bonding and breastfeeding newborns.
• Continuous growth and development opportunities.
• A wellness program that offers education, and fitness classes; an agency-wide fondness for outdoor meetings.
• Opportunities to serve your community and make an impact through meaningful work.

Ecology seeks diverse applicants: We view diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect through a broad lens including race, ethnicity, class, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, military background, language, education, life experience, physical disability, neurodiversity, and intersectional identities. Qualified candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

During Stay Home, Stay Healthy, employees are working a combination of in-office and/or telework based on position and business need. Ecology is maintaining less than maximum building occupancy, and requiring masks, health screening questions before entry, and social distancing.

Application Timeline: This position will remain open until filled, with an initial screening date of June 1, 2021.  In order to be considered for initial screening, please submit an application on or before May 31, 2021. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.

Duties

 

What makes this role unique?

This is an exciting and challenging opportunity to build a statewide greenhouse gas cap and invest program from the ground up! Washington’s program will be the second in the nation.

 
What you’ll do:

• Establish, manage, and lead a cap and invest program to achieve the state’s Greenhouse gas (GHG) limits in RCW 70A.45.020.
• Establish a program to invest the proceeds of auctioned allowances in projects and programs that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, advance the state’s climate commitment, promote climate resilience, and improve air quality and address health disparities.
• Establish, manage and lead implementation of a declining cap on GHG emissions from covered entities to reduce GHG emissions consistent with the statewide GHG limits, including a program to track, verify, and enforce compliance.
• Manage and lead development of agency request legislation for the 2022 legislative session outlining a compliance pathway specific to energy-intensive trade-exposed (EITE) businesses.
• Plan, hire, and supervise new staff and management positions to carry out this work.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

Option 1: A Bachelor’s degree involving a major study in environmental, physical, or natural science, engineering, planning, public administration, business administration, or related field AND Five (5) years of professional experience in natural resource planning, program development or management AND a minimum of three (3) years of supervisory experience managing technical and policy staff. The supervisory experience may have been gained at the same time as the professional experience listed above.

Option 2: A combination of equivalent education and professional experience as listed above totaling (9) years AND a minimum of three (3) years of supervisory experience managing technical and policy staff. The supervisory experience may have been gained at the same time as the professional experience listed above.

Desired Qualifications:

We highly encourage you to apply even if you do not have some (or all) of the desired experience below.

• Advanced management and planning courses and work experience.
• Knowledge and experience with climate policies.
• Knowledge of Washington State and federal air quality laws and regulations.
• Experience managing subordinate managers who supervise staff.

Note: Having some (or all) of this desired experience may make your application more competitive in a highly competitive applicant pool.

Supplemental Information

Need an Accommodation in the application and/or screening process or this job announcement in an alternative format?

• Please call: (360) 407-6186 or email: careers@ecy.wa.gov and we will be happy to assist.
• If you are deaf or hard of hearing you can reach the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.
• If you need assistance applying for this job, please e-mail careers@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not send an email to this address to follow-up the status of your application. You can view the latest status of your application on your profile’s main page.
• If you are reading this announcement in print format, please enter the following URL to your search engine to apply: https://ecology.wa.gov/About-us/Get-to-know-us/Jobs-at-Ecology.

Application Instructions:
It’s in the applicant’s best interest to submit all of the documents listed below. Applications without these documents may be declined.

• A cover letter describing why you are interested in this position.
• A resume outlining your experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to the minimum qualifications of this position.

Please to do NOT include your salary history. Wage/salary depends on qualifications or rules of promotion, if applicable.
 
For Your Privacy:
When attaching documents to your application (Resume, Cover Letter, Transcripts, DD-214, etc.):

• Please be sure to remove private information such as your social security number, date of birth, etc.
• Do not attach documents that are password protected, as these documents may not be reviewed and may cause errors within your application when downloaded.

Additional Application Instructions for Current Ecology Employees: 
Please make sure to answer the agency-wide questions regarding permanent status as a classified employee within the Washington General Service or Washington Management Service. Do not forget to select Department of Ecology as a response to question 2, and type your personnel ID number for question 3. If you are not sure of your status or do not know your personnel ID number, please contact Human Resources.

Application Attestation: 
The act of submitting application materials electronically is considered affirmation that the information is complete and truthful. The state may verify this information and any untruthful or misleading answers are cause for rejection of your application or dismissal if employed.

Other Information:

If you have specific questions about the position, please email Kathy Taylor at: Kathy.Taylor@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Kathy to inquire about the status of your application.

To request the full position description: email careers@ecy.wa.gov.

Why work for Ecology?
As an agency, our mission is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington’s environment for current and future generations. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism and accountability.

Joining Ecology means becoming a part of a team committed to protecting and restoring Washington State’s environment. A career in public service allows you to help solve some of the most challenging problems facing our state, while keeping your health and financial security a priority. We combine one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation with a strong commitment to life/work balance.

Ecology employees may be eligible for the following:
Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s), Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), Vacation, Sick, and other Leave*, 11 Paid Holidays per year*, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver,  Long Term Disability & Life Insurance, Deferred Compensation Programs, Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP),  Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA), Employee Assistance Program, Commute Trip Reduction Incentives (Download PDF reader), Combined Fund Drive, SmartHealth *See the Benefits tab in this announcement for more information

Student debt: how working for Ecology can help
The Department of Ecology is a qualifying employer for the Public Service Forgiveness Program (PSLF). See https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service for more details.

To learn more about The Department of Ecology, please visit our website at www.ecology.wa.gov and follow, like or visit us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or our blog.

Equal Opportunity Employer: The Washington State Department of Ecology is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans, military spouses or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. Persons needing accommodation in the application/testing process or this job announcement in an alternative format may call (360) 407-6186. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.

Note: This recruitment may be used to fill other positions of the same job classification across the agency. Once all the position(s) from the recruitment announcement are filled, the recruitment may only be used to fill additional open positions for the next sixty (60) days.